Ballot-box



(No Model.)

R. P. KINGMAN.

BALLOT BOX.

No. 533,651. Patented Feb. 5

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UNITED STATES PATENT einen.

ROLDON P. KINGMAN, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN.

BALLOT-BOX.

SFECIFICATION) forming part of LettersPatent No. 533,651, dated February 5, 1895. Application filed August 23, 1894. Serial No. 521,097, (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Bonbon P. KINGMAN, of Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of lvlichigan,have invented certain new and usefulmprovements in Ballot-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention is especially designed for ballot boxes,its object being to provide a simple mechanical ballot box by which the ballots as voted, will be held neatly together in order, so that at the end of the poll the ballots can be removed from the box in book form and bound together Without manual asserting or piling, in convenient shape for counting, or storing for record.

The object is attained by my present invention which consists essentially7 of a set, or sets, of tiling needles mounted on a rotatable or moving support, the points of the needles at one point projecting through openings in the case so that a voter can impale his ballot thereon edgewise, and then by simply turn-v ing a handle, or other regulator, the needles are moved forward so as to draw the ballot into the box, and as they travel around in the box the ballot is moved down toward the base of the needles, so that when their points next project through the filing openings the first ballot is out of sight, but each ballot filed will be superimposed on the preceding ballot strung on the needles, and when the balloting is over, the case can be opened, the package of ballots removed from the needles, and secured together by cords which are threaded through the filing needles prior to the filing of the ballots.

One, two or more sets of filing needles can be mounted on the saine movable support, and successively moved up to and away from the filing openings, the operation of each set being precisely alike.

Thile thus designed for and useful as a ballot box, the machine can be readily adapted and used for a bill and letter file, (be.

Inthe accompanying drawingslhave shown a simple form of the box, containing two sets of tiling needles, mounted on a rotating shaft within a cylindrical casing, but obviously it would be easy to mount the needles on movable supports of different kinds, by which they would be alternately presented to, and moved from the point of tiling ballots, and hence I do not limit myself to the particular reduction ofthe invention shown in the drawings.

Referring to the said drawings: Figure i is a part side view and part vertical section of the box. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Y

A designates a cylindrical casing which is made in two halves separated on a horizontal line, provided with means for locking them together When closed. This casing has journals for a central transverse shaft B, as shown, and upon this shaft, within the box is mounted a drum C from the periphery of which, at diarnetrically opposite points, project sets of radial filing needles D, which as shown, are tubular, and closed at their upper ends by pointed screw caps E, to which are attached bodkins e, depending into the drum, and having eyes in their inner ends for the attachment of threads e which can be secured thereto and inserted through the tubular needles, or may be threaded to the bodkins through openings c in drum C.

The top of casing A is flattened on one side of its vertical diameter as at A this flattened portion being slotted at A2 to permitthe movement of the needles thereby, and when the shaft B is rotated to bring either set of needles uppermost the points of said needles vvill project slightly above the surface of portion A as shown. At the other side of the vertical diameter the top of the casingis flanged as at 0.', said flange extending inward and nearly d contacting with part A', and having slots a2 to permit the passage of the needle points. The space between the bottom of flange a,

and top of part A is sufficient to allow a.

ballot to pass edgewise thereunderafter being strung on the needles. After the ballot X is strung on the needles as indicated in Fig. l, the shaft B is given a half turn, thereby drawing ballot X into the casing, and simultanenonsly moving the opposite set of needles into position to receive a ballot. As the ballot X is drawn into and around in the casing the curved springs F press it toward the shaft B, and base of needles, so that it is laid dat IOC drawn out so as to thread the cords through v the needles. Then the packages of superimposed ballots are drawn olf the needles and secured by tying the strings and the ballots are thus neatly bound together in book form,

without trouble to the clerks or judges, and in neat condition for handling, counting, and filing for preservation.

Shaft B may be rotated in any suitable man ner. As shown it has a pinion G meshing with asmaller pinion g on a stub shaft Il, turned by a crank handle h, which is rotated twice for each revolution of shaft B, or one revolution to bring a set of Iiling needles in position. This handle is provided with a spring catch of any suitable kind so that it can be llocked after each revolution, and when locked will hold one set of needles in position to receive a ballot.

I have thus set forth the essential features of the invention and a practical apparatus embodying it, and

What I claim as new isr V 1. In combination with a casing having a tiling opening, a combined `ballot receiver and holder within the casing having filing needles adapted to receive the ballots through said opening, and means for traveling said ballot receiver and holder past said opening, and stopping it in position to receive a ballot upon the needles, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the casing havingr an opening, with a movable ballot receiver and holder having sets of filing needles adapted at one point of its travel to partially project a set of needles partly through said opening to receive a ballot and to subsequently draw the ballot on the needles within the casing as it moves onward, and means for moving said holder, substantially as described.

3. In a ballot box the combination of a casing having a receiving slot, with a set of filing needles and means for traveling said needles past said slot in an endless circuit within the casing, whereby said needles are alternately partially projected through said slot and stopped to receive a paper, and then withdrawn into the casing, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the casing having a receiving slot a set of ling needles for receiving and y.retaining ballots, and means for moving said needlesto, and past said slot, with stationary means Within the casing for moving the ballots toward the bases of the needles as they are moved, substantially as described.

5. In a ballotv box the combination of the casing having an entry slot for papers, with the rotary shaft therein and radial series of sets of tiling needles mounted radially on said shaft and means whereby the sets of needlesy carrying bodkins attached to said tubes and means for moving said tubular needles iu an endless path within the casing whereby they are rst partially projected through said slot, and then withdrawn into the casing, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the cylindrical casing having its periphery flattened and slotted at one point, with a set of filing needles mounted on a rotary shaft within said casing, and adapted to move and partially project through the slots in the flattened portion of the casing when rotated,`substantially as described.

9. The combination of the cylindrical easing having its periphery flattened and slotted at one point, with a set of filing needles mounted on a rotary shaft with said casing,

and adapted to move and partially project through the slots in the Ilattened portion of the casing when rotated, the stationary curved springs, and means for rotating said IOO shaft, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I afx my'signature in presence of two Witnesses.

R. P. KINGMAN.

Witnesses:

T. H. ALEXANDER, CHAs. L. DU Bots.

IIO 

